A Singapore journalism professor who has written extensively about the lack of media freedom in the city-state has been denied tenure a second time. Hundreds of his supporters at home and abroad are demanding to know why.
Cherian George is an associate professor in journalism studies
at the Nanyang Technological University's School of Communication and Information. His supporters contend that his credentials are so strong that politics must be behind the university's unwillingness to give him a permanent faculty position.

The public university says it has a "rigorous tenure process" but will not comment on specific cases. George also has declined to comment, but about 800 of his supporters have signed a petition demanding that the university explain its decision.